Apparatus for withdrawing and folding sheets from a stack of sheets



June 19, 1928. 1,674,187

A. wlNKLr-:R ET AL APPARATUS FOR WITHDRAWING AND FOLDI'NG SHEETS FROM A STACK OF SHEETS 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Jan. 9, 1926 very/0K5:

June 19, 1928.

A. WINKLER ET AL APFARATUS FOR WITHDRAWING AND FOLDING SHEETS FROM A STACK OF SHEETS Filed Jan. 9, 1926 2 sheets-sheet 2 In venors HZfrecL W1; nk Lef and Max Di" webdev". je w 1523i:

,Patented June 19, 1928.

vUNITED `s'ra'ras PATENT OFFICE- maar lwrmxrmm. vum mx numana, or nnuwran, saam.' APPARATUS ron wnnnmwmo Am) FOLDING s'HE'Ers anon A 's'raox or Application med January 9, 1926; Serial No. 80,215, and in Germany January 10, 1985.

The present invention relates to ap aratus for removing and simultaneously olding the outside sheet of a stack of sheets.

According to the apparatus, the outer surface of the outside sheet of a stack of sheets is seized on one or both sides of and parallel to the desired line of fold and along its entire width or the greater part thereof by frictional means and bulged or bellied out, and the progressively increasing convex'ity is passed -between a pair of rollers whlc can effect the final folding of the sheet, 'and the sheet is 'then conveyed away.

The constructional form of the apparatus for carrying the process into effect which is'hereinaft-er described relates only to the. withdrawal and folding o f the lowest sheet of a stack of sheets, because this method ofoperation is by far the more difficult of the two. It has, moreover, such great advantages over withdrawal from the top of the stack as regards eliicienc (simplified charging and uninterrupted de ivery and the like) that the emplo ent of the precautionary measures an also form the subject-matter of the present specification", is justified.

A constructional form of, apparatus for carrying the process into effect is illustratedby way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of the same embodiment;

Fig. 2 a plan;

Fig. 3 is a view taken at a right angle to Figure 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view corresponding to Fig. 1 but with certain parts removed; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing only part of the apparatus. Referring to the drawings, the stack of blanks 1 to be folded rests between adjustable lstops 3 on a table 2. The table2 has an opening 4 through which the two rollers partly in section 5l and 6, which extend across the entire width of the blanks, project. These rollers 'arer journaled on both sides inlever arms 7 `which are revoluble about the shaft 8, and the bearings of the roller 5 are fixed while those of the roller 6 are adjustable, being contained in blocksv 9 on either side, which are acted upon by springs v10 under compression, so that the roller 6 is always pressed against 'the roller 5. The lever arms 7 carry means necessaryA to' overcome the difficulties mentloned, whlch arms 11 which are rovided with rollers 12 an extent that the rollers 5 and 6 temporarily come into contact with the lowest .sheet of the stack of blanks 1. The entire periphery of the rollers 5 and 6 iscovered with alayerof rubber or other material which is suitable for seizing and carrylmg away by friction the blank with whic -it comes into contact. The rollers 5 and 6 are also continuously driven from the shaft 8 and rotate in opposite directions-as indicated by the arrows 1n Fi 1. Therefore when, owing to the action o the cams 14 they come into contact with the lowest sheet of the stackl .so .that the weight of the stack acts etween this lowest sheet and the rollersv 5 and 6, each roller-carries the sheet with it in an opposing direction and a bellying4 out or convexity which extends over the vwhole width of the sheet is formed betweenv the two rollers. This convexity increases more vand.more and is finally .grip ed between the two rollers so that the slieet becomes sharply folded by them. By suitably positioning the stack of. blanks above the rollers 5 and 6 the position of the fold can be adjusted with an accuracy which is sufficient for a large number of different kinds I of blanks.l

In order to avoid the danger of the friction between the sheet to be withdrawn and the following sheets spreading to the stack with the result that the whole, 'of the lower partof the stack might gradually sag betweenv the rollers 5 and 6, the following precautionary measures are adopted.

In the first place a pair of swingable su ports 15, v15 is arranged between the two ro ers 5 and 6 one on either side of the stack I 19 are actuatedby means of cams 21, 21

which engage rollers, 20, 20 fitted to them. The cams 21, 21 are fixed on the shaft 8, which rotates in time with the operation on the sheetsso that the supports 15, 15 are lli once swung inwardly and outwardly during the course of each operation. Thelr action is as follows As soon as the rollers 5 and 6 are raised and come into contact with the lowest sheet of the stack the supports '15, 15 swing outwards so far that their lower bent portions, which actually support the stack between the rollers, move completely out of reach of the stack. This outward swing however only lasts until the convexity of the lowest sheet has become so great tha-t the supports can again enter between it and the following sheet and thus again support the stack. In this way any tendency of the blanks above the sheet to be withdrawn to sag between the rollers is neutralized immediately after the removal of the lowest sheet. Precautions are also taken so that any displacement of the blanks lying above the sheet which is to be withdrawn 1n so far as it may occur in that part of the stack which projects beyond the rollers 5, 6 at either end is likewise avoided. To this end roller-segments 22 and 22 are arran ed beside the rollers 5, 6 respectively, and t e hafts 23, 23 on which they are mounted carry screw gear wheels 24, 24 which engage the screw gear wheels, 25, 25 which are fixed to the longitudinal shaft 26. On that end of this longitudinal shaft 26 which is above the shaft 8 there is fixed a crank 27, which is actuated through an intermediate roller 28 by a cam 29 on the shaft 8. The arc of the cam is such that at each revolution of the shaft 8, i. e., at each operation on a blank, a reciprocating angular movement or partial rotation is given to the longitudinal shaft 26 and a similar movement is given by it, by means of the gearin 24, 25 and 24 and 25', to the shafts 23, 23 and the roller-segments, which are also covered with a suitable material for producing friction, move in the direction of the rollers 5, 6 together with the sheet which is being withdrawn and with exactly the same speed; as soon, however, as the moment occurs when the segments 22, 22 come into contact with the following sheet they swing backwards' and smooth out this sheet towards both ends. Therefore, after every withdrawal of the blank, the stack of blanks is correctly adjusted not only between the rollers 5, 6'but also at its ends which project over the rollers.

The sheets which have been withdrawn and folded by the rollers 5, 6 are now either conveyed directly to a store or, if further folding be required, are fed to another folding machine. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 there are provided guides 30, 31

Awhich receive the folded sheets from the rollers 5, 6 and conduct them to conveyors, for example rollers 32, which coact with balls 33. l

In order to be able to adapt the machine illustrated in Figures 1-3 to different sizes of blanks, the shafts 23, 23f of the rollersegments 22, 22 are journaled in adjustable- `bearings 34 which are so constructed that,

on any adjustment of the roller-segments being made, the gear wheels 25, 25 are similarly displaced, while the longitudinal shaft 26 slides through oneof its bearings. Thus the drive for the roller-segments 22, 22 remains unaltered whatever be the size of the blanks.

The whole machine can be driven in any desired manner, with which anyone skilled in the art would be acquainted; for this reason and for the sake of greater clearness all the various pulleys and the like which forms part of the driving mechanism have not been illustrated in the drawing.

Without departingin any way from the essence of the invention, only one of the means whereby the bellying out of the lowest sheet is produced, that is to say, only one of the rollers 5 and 6 (Figs. 1 and 2) need act by friction, i. e., grip the sheet, while the other may have a smooth surface, so that the sheet is not carried round by it. In this case the bellying out is effected by onlyone of the means but the final result, namely, the gripping of the sheet between both rollers or between both roller segments nevertheless remains the same no matter whether it i sharply folded at once or is conveyed to a separate folding apparatus for this purpose.

It is to be noted that consideration should be given to making the space between the separating rollers and the sheet as small as is feasible, so that the selection of rollers having as small diameters as possible is advisable. This will avoid the disadvantage of two sheets bein" withdrawn at the one time and the possibility of the sheet lying unsymmetrically in the trian'vular space and to one side or the other of, it, which, of course, would result in non-uniform folding.

The arrangement of the means for producing the convexity in the sheet to be withdrawn below the stack is not essential to the invention. But this arrangement is the most suitable since on the one hand the replenishing of the stack can be effected more easily and without interrupting the process and on the other hand the conveyance of the blanks to the store or to further folding apparatus is facilitated.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for withdrawing and folding an outside sheet of a stack of sheets comprising a support, a pair of rollers adjacent said support, means for raising and lowering said rollers, the latter being adapted to displace the sheet to be folded with relation to the remaining sheets parallel to the line on which it is to be folded and to impart thereto a bulge or'convexity, means for preventing the sagging of the remainm sheets and means for reventing the longitudlnal displacement ofp said sheets with relation to said support. v

2. Apparatus for withdrawing and folding an outside sheet of a stack of sheets com prising a support, a. air of rollers adjacent said support, means or raising and lowerlng said rollers, the latter being adapted to displace the -sheet to be folded with relation to the remaining sheets parallel to the line on which it is to be folded and to impart thereto a bulge or convexity, means for preventing the sagging of the remaining sheets, means for preventing the longitudinal displacement of said sheets with relation to said sup ort and means for adjusting said longitudinal displacement preventing means.

3. Apparatus for wlthdrawing and folding an outside sheet of a stack of sheets comprising a support having an opening therein, for holding said sheets, a pair of rollers disposed adjacent said opening but not normally contacting with the sheet to be withdrawn and means for temporarily raising said rollers causing them to contact with said sheet, to withdraw same, impart a .bulge or convexity thereto, and press said bulge or convexity together to produce the desired line of fold on said sheet.

4. Apparatus for withdrawing and folding an outside sheet of a stack of sheets comprising a support having an opening therein, for holding said sheets, a-pair of rollers disposed adjacent said opening but not normally contacting with the sheet to be withdrawn, means for continuouslyA rotating said rollers during the operation of the apparatus and means for temporarily raising said rollers causing them to contact with said sheet, to withdraw same, impart a bulge or convexity thereto, and press said bulge or convexity together to produce the desired line of fold on said sheet.

5. Apparatus for withdrawing and folding an outside sheet of a stack of sheets comprising a support, having an opening therein, for holding said sheets, a pair of friction-covered rollers disposed adjacent said opening but not normally contacting with the sheet to be withdrawn, and means for temporarily raising said rollers causing them to contact with said sheet, to withdraw same, impart a bulge or convexity thereto, and press said bulge or convexity together to produce the 'desired linev of fold on said sheet.

6. Apparatus for withdrawing and folding an outside sheet of a stack of sheets'comprising a support, having an opening therein, for holding said sheets, a pair of rollers disposed adjacent said opening but not normally contacting with the sheet to be withrawn, means for temporarily'raising said rollers causin them to contact with said sheet, to with raw sameimpart a bulge or convexity thereto, and press said bulge or convexity together to-produce the desired line of fold on said sheet and means permitting adjustment of one of said yrollers with respect to the other. j

7 Apparatus for withdrawing an outside sheet from a stack of sheets comprising a magazine, having an vopening therein, Afor supporting said sheets,.a ,pair of rollers disposed adjacent said opening but not normally contacting with said stack of sheets, means for temporarily raising said rollers to cause them to contact with the sheet to be withdrawn, and meansfor rotating said rollers in opposite direction, causing them,

when raised, to displace the sheet to be folded on the next adjacent sheet parallel to the line on which it is to be folded, .to impart a bulge or convexity to said sheet and to press said bulge or convexity together to convert it into the fold.

8. Apparatus for withdrawing and folding an outside sheet of a stack of sheets comprising a support, having an opening therein, Afor holding said sheets, a pair of rollers disposed adjacent said opening but not normally contacting with the sheet to be withdrawn, means for temporarily raising said rollers causing them to contact with said sheet, vto withdraw same, impart a bulge or convexity thereto, and press said bulge or convexity together to produce the desired line of fold on said sheet and means for preventing the'sagging of the remaining rollers disposed adjacent said opening 4but l.

not normally contacting with the sheet to be withdrawn, means for temporarily raising said rollers causing them. to contact with said sheet, to withdraw same, impart a bulge or convexity thereto, and press said bulge or convexity vtogether to produce the desired line of fold on said sheet and means for preventing the sagging of the remaining sheets comprising a pair of supports adapted to swing in and out between said rollers', and means for operating said supports.

10. Apparatus .for withdrawing and folding an outside sheet of a stack of sheets comprising a support.. having an opening therein, for holding said sheets.v a pair of rollers disposed adjacent said opening but not normally contacting with the'sheet to be withdrawn, means for temporarily raising said 1 adapted to neutralize any tendency of the remaining sheets-to become displaced in the stack during thewithdrawal of said sheet.

11. Apparatus for lwithdrawing and folding an outside sheet of a stack of. sheets comprising a support, having an opening therein, for holding said sheets, a pair of rollers disposed ad]acent said opening but not normally contacting withthe sheet to be withdrawn, means for temporarily raising said rollers causing them to contact with said sheet, to withdraw same, impart a 12. Apparatus for withdrawing and folding an outside sheet of av stack of sheets v comprising a support,having an-opening `therein, for holding said sheets, a pair of rollers disposed adjacent said opening but not normally contacting with the sheet to be withdrawn, means for temporarily raising said rollers causing them to contactl with said sheet, to I'withdraw same, impart a bulge or convexity thereto, and press said bulge or conveXity together to produce the desired line of fold on said sheet, a pair of segments disposed outside of said rollers, means for imparting a reciprocating angular movement to said segments for causing them to neutralize any tendency of the remaining sheets to become displaced in the stack during the withdrawal of said sheet and means for adjusting the position of said segments to permit of the apparatus operating on different-sized sheets.

13. Apparatus for withdrawing and folding an outside sheet of a stack of sheets cornprising a support, having an opening therein. for holding said sheets, a pair of rollers disposed adjacent said opening but not normally contacting with the sheet to be withdrawn, means for temporarily raising said rollers causing them to contact with said sheet, to withdraw same, impart a bulge or convexity thereto, and press said bulge orl convexity together to produce the desired line of fold on said sheet' and adjustable means adapted to neutralize any tendency of v the remaining sheets to become displaced in the stack during the withdrawal of said sheet.

14. The combination with a support for holding a stack of sheets and having an opening in its underside, of means for withdrawing said sheets one by one through said opening and folding them, comprising a pair of oppositelysrotating, friction covered roll,- ers disposedbelow said opening, and means for intermittently raising them through said opening into contact with the bottom sheet of the stack to withdraw, bulge and fold. said sheet and then lowering them.

15. The combination with a support 'for holding a kstack ofsh'eets and having an opening in its underside, of means for withdrawing lsaid sheets oneby one through said opening and folding them, comprising a pair of oppositely-rotating, friction covered rollers disposed below said opening, means for intermittently raising them t rough said opening into contact with'the bottom sheet of the stack to withdraw, bulge and fold said sheet and then lowering them, a pair of swingable supports adapted lto swing outwardly as the rollers contact with the bottom sheet and to swing inwardly under the remaining sheets after the bottom sheet has had imparted toit a bul e or convexity on its withdrawal by said rol ers, and means for so operating said swingable supports.

16. The combination with a vsupport for holding a stack of sheets and having an opening in its underside, of means for withdrawing said sheets one by one through said opening and folding them, comprising a pair ofv oppositely-rotating, friction covered rollers disposed below said opening, means for intermittently raising them through said opening into contact with the bottom sheet of the stack to Withdraw, bulge and fold said sheet and then lowering them, a pair of segmentsdisposed voutside of said rollers, and means for imparting a rocking motion to said'segments rst causing them to travel with the sheet being withdrawn and then backwards with the next sheet to be with'- drawn, for the purpose stated. i

17. Apparatus for withdrawing an out-- side sheet from Aa stack of sheets comprising a magazine, having an opening therein, for supporting said sheets, a pair of rollers dis.- posed adjacent -said opening but not normally contacting with said stack of sheets, means for temporarily raising said rollers to cause them to contact with the sheet to be withdrawn, means for rotating said rollers in opposite directions, causing them, when raised, to displace the sheet to be folded on the next adjacent sheet parallel to the line on which it is to be folded, to impart a bulge or convexity to said sheet and to press said bulge orconvexity together to convert it into the fold and means for guiding the folded sheet from the apparatus.

18. The combination with a support for holding va stack of sheets and having an opening in its underside, of means for withdrawing said sheets one by one through said opening and folding them, comprising a pair of op ositely-rotating, friction covered rollers ci) small diameter disposed below said opening, and means for intermittently raising them through said opening into contact lll with the bottom sheet of the stack to withdraw, bulge and fold said sheet and then lowering them.v

19. Apparatus for withdrawing an outside sheet from a stack of sheets comprising a magazine, having an opening therein, for supporting said sheets, adjustable stops carried by said magazine, a pair of rollers disposed adjacent said opening but not nor-l mally contacting with said stack of sheets, means for temporarily raising said rollers to cause them to contact with the sheet to be Withdrawn, and means for rotating said rollers in opposite directions, causing them,

when raised, to displace the sheet to be folded on the next adjacent sheet parallel to the line on which it is to be folded, to impart a bulge or convexity to said sheet and to press said bulge or convexity together to convert it into the fold.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specication.

ALFREQ WINKLER.

X DUNNEBIER. 

